Let’s talk about the electrifying start to Caitlin Clark’s WNBA career and the highs and lows that come with it. The Indiana Fever’s No. 1 overall pick has already made history, becoming the first rookie to record a triple-double in the league, racking up 19 points, 13 assists, and 12 rebounds in a win over the New York Liberty. However, her performance isn’t without its flaws.
While Clark’s stats are impressive, they come with a significant downside. She currently leads the WNBA in turnovers by a wide margin, averaging 5.5 per game compared to Alyssa Thomas’ 3.8. This issue has not gone unnoticed by critics.
On the latest episode of Undisputed, Skip Bayless didn’t hold back in criticizing Clark for her “careless” play that resulted in these turnovers. “Caitlin Clark now has 42 more turnovers than any other player in the league… 42 more? Are you kidding me? It’s hard to overcome that,” Bayless remarked.
He highlighted that many of her turnovers stem from poor decisions, saying, “So many are just careless… You shouldn’t try that because that’s not going to get through.”
Bayless also pointed out that while Clark is second in the league in assists, her high turnover rate undermines this achievement. “She is second in the league in assists, but that gets canceled out when you have 42 more turnovers than anybody else does,” he noted.
As of today, @RealSkipBayless would vote Angel Reese as ROY over Caitlin Clark 👀 pic.twitter.com/iQ2dtS53fR
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) July 8, 2024
Due to these turnover issues, Bayless believes that Angel Reese might have the upper hand over Clark in the Rookie of the Year race. Reese has been setting records of her own, with her 13th consecutive double-double on Sunday.
As Clark and the Fever prepare to face the Washington Mystics on Wednesday, all eyes will be on whether she can balance her high-risk, high-reward style of play and cut down on the turnovers that threaten to overshadow her impressive stats.